Social media inspires improv and monologues

You're not alone if the tools of technology have you feeling like a tool of technology, so it should come as no surprise that area performers are mining the social media phenomenon for material.

'The Tweet Life' ** 1/2

Good improv has zero relation to the quality of its audience-generated suggestions, but the Playground Theater has really hit on something with a show that uses the Twitter feed of an average Joe as inspiration. The scenes are short, and the show moves at a good clip; considering the brevity of Twitter, it would be a mistake to do otherwise.

The feed changes each week (as does the cast), and the Playground has gone out of its way to solicit folks not part of the improv community to offer up their posts. The Twitter account of man by the name of Landon Jones was used the night I attended, and his tweets did not disappoint, including: "Everything I know I learned from the Cosby Show."

The beauty of Twitter is the way it is so self-contained, each new post a non sequitur. Consider this one from Jones: "Argued with a homeless man over whether I could eat a whole ice cream cake -- not only is he homeless, he is ice cream cakeless too." That kind of scenario is heaven for improvisers.

Jones happened to be parked in the front row, laughing good-naturedly, and something about his presence juiced the entertainment factor. Suddenly, Twitter's faceless facade gave way to something more revealing.

Open run at The Playground Theater, 3209 N. Halsted St. Tickets are $10 at 773-871-3793, or the-playground.com.

'My Life With Craig' **

Things are less focused in this trio of monologues about Craigslist from Stockyards Theatre Project.

Sadie Pfannkuche's "My Life with Crazy" is the strongest in terms of content. Pfannkuche's sing-song delivery needs work, but her assessment of online personals -- she uses Craigslist to find "makeout partners" -- is insightful.

No matter the category -- platonic, long-term relationships or casual encounters -- everybody is seeking sex, and it's the NSAers (no strings attached, a category she defines as the "Wild West of personals") who are the most honest about it.

The piece from Kendra Stevens, scared off from Craigslist after Googling "Craigslist horror stories," needs to be smarter and offer more specific and personal stories demanded by the monologue form.

Amy Sumpter's tough broad is the most clearly defined stage persona of the bunch, a scary teacher, wielding a pointer like a dominatrix, who uses Craigslist to find a roommate, listing off the various creeps and flakes she's encountered along the way.